Uzumaki Naruto: Master of the Elements
by bleachedserenity
Summary: This is the tale of a Jinchuuriki raised in village of hatred. One night, a mistake was made. But from that mistake, like the phoenix rising from the ashes, something great will result from it that rewrites the future of one boy's life.
1. How it All Began

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I don't make money off of this story.

A/N: This is my version of the back story of all of Naruto. This is what I think could be used to fill in the missing parts in much of the manga and help tie together those plot holes that pop up in much of the storyline. I know that this won't be perfect, but after reading **Naruto Fuujinroku**, I felt the need to write this. I also really recommend that fic to anyone looking for one hell of a read. I first read the story and was taken back by the level of detail and thought put into it. So I wanted to do something like it, just my own way. I wanted to come up for a reason for what happens in the manga every week instead of spending time coming up with stupid ideas as to how it _could_ have happened. And I know it's been a month since I last updated my other fics, but be patient and soon enough, I'll have new chapters up for the other two. Anyway, read, review, enjoy.

**How It All Began**

At the birth of time, there were demons that roamed the world. They lived in peace with the other species of Earth, fighting only amongst themselves. They were originally crafted by the hands of the gods for entertainment, after all.

These creatures stored unbelievable amounts of energy, far superior to anything the weaker beings that lived across the globe could every dream of harnessing. These entities were so great, so paramount, that they ruled the lands while the gods ruled the skies. And for a while, peace rang out with this balance. When a group of humans grew too strong for their own good, the bijuu would punish them accordingly, instilling the fact that they were dominant of all of Earth's life, no matter how insignificant or large.

As such, the humans and weaker beings worshiped the bijuu as gods, some creating religions and rituals to honor their overlords. This only stood to infuriate the real gods- the ones that humans would later group together and refer to as 'Kami'. So the gods exercised their superiority over their subordinates and created a new dimension specifically for containing their demonic essence. Needless to say, the bijuu were forced into this hell without any protest, otherwise suffering the obliteration from a god's true wrath.

For countless centuries, the bijuu waited for a chance to seek freedom. They waited and waited. And one man was able to defy the rules of humanity, of life, and of the gods by committing the unspeakable. He tried to set them loose under his reign to claim all the world as his own. He failed miserably, of course. That much was assured when he went against the very gods that granted life to all.

This idea had been conceived before, just never acted upon. But he resorted to unheard of lengths to break down the wall that barricaded the bijuu's dimension. He channeled the energy in nature and used a combination of long since forgotten wizardry and science to carry out his plans. He sacrificed an entire nation to this power. By doing so, millions of men, women, and children were lost as the gates of hell rose from the ground, only to suck this abomination inside. That was the last the earth ever heard of alchemy, the accursed science that allowed that man to trespass on god's territory.

After that day, all was wiped clean. The god's recreated the plethora of species that once inhabited the earth. The bijuu still remained imprisoned in their dimension until the day humans once more crossed the line. They created weapons capable of slaughtering millions in an instant from the far side of the globe. The gods had no choice but to find a solution to this one particular creation that insisted on destruction.

They turned to the bijuu. The nine demons of mythical power seized this moment and punished those who went against their creators. The world was once more reshaped because of this incident.

For some time, the bijuu roamed the land, destroying the humans that dared pose a threat to them. The gods saw this eternal power struggle and came up with a solution: the Rinnegan. Eyes that could make the power of the bijuu pale in comparison. Yes, this would surely level the playing field some for all of the god's creations.

The first holder of the Rinnegan was a woman who shifted the power balance and allowed humans to create cities and prosper. This woman, Eien Ayama, was pure of heart and set out to rebuild mankind. With her help, humans were able to grow and advance themselves.

Descendants of Eien Ayama showed no similar ability, which scared the humans into believing that the bijuu would destroy them for thinking they had a chance to become something. However, the bijuu showed no aggression towards the growing civilizations. Instead, they went back to living in peace with the other species of the world, accepting the will of the gods. All was fine for many, many years, until the day a man was born once more with the Rinnegan. He possessed the ability to revolutionize everything and help mankind excel.

This man would grow up to be known throughout the entire would as Rokudou Sennin, the Sage of Six Paths. The Rinnegan once again showed its worth by helping the Sennin discover the six types of chakra. His work would write history.

The six chakras were phenomenal for humans, as it gave them the ability to wield similar powers as the bijuu, even if just a fraction's worth. These amazing chakras linked nature and mankind, bringing together the elements that composed the world and allowing men and women to manipulate their environment like never before. These six types of chakra were fire, wind, lighting, earth, water, and, aether.

Technically speaking, aether was the purest and most powerful type of chakra. Aether was energy in its rawest form, allowing its user to trump any other chakra, regardless of the type. In fact, it was aether that was able to subdue the Bijuu that went against Eien Ayama centuries before. And it was Aether chakra that allowed Rokudou Sennin to impart this gift unto others. He was able to create the chakra circulatory system inside of others with the the help of Aether chakra.

Once that system was crafted, a person could hone their skills in the other types of chakra. But since they didn't possess the true source of Aether chakra, they couldn't control the most powerful type of energy known to man. Only the holder of the great doujutsu could mold such an almighty chakra. However, each human gifted with the chakra circulatory system did hold a latent form of Aether chakra. This weaker form of the aforementioned chakra would become the basis of the shinobi world.

In such small and impure amounts, Aether chakra was seen as nothing more than standard energy which flowed through anyone (once their chakra circulatory system was crafted, of course). Therefore, humans could use this minor form of Aether chakra to complete tasks once thought impossible, such as defying gravity by walking on walls and ceilings or walking on water.

More people began to experiment with this power, manipulating the elements as they pleased once mastering a type of chakra. Soon, people came together and created a political world based on strength. They raised their young to fight and control chakra. At a certain age, these people were given a name: ninja.

Ninjas grew up and used their skills to change the world around them. They fought as one for their countries and achieved the impossible. Soon, these countries adopted the names of the elements: The Land of Fire, The Land of Wind, etc. War broke out many times and the bijuu were forced to intervene. That was what lead to the formation of Fuuinjutsu, sealing jutsu.

Mankind struck back at the bijuu the only way they could. They made the immortal mortal and sealed some demons within their own human bodies. People began claiming the bijuu as their own, using them as weapons to fight their battles for them, once said bijuu were sealed. The other bijuu retaliated at such heinous acts by leveling entire cities and crippling the economy in several areas by devastating the ninja population for some major villages.

The two strongest bijuu, the Hachimata and the Kyuubi were bitter rivals, as were all bijuu. The Hachibi was an eight headed snake with a very similar power level to the Kyuubi, the nine tailed fox. Many people believed that the number of tails, or in the Hachimata's case, heads, displayed the sheer power of the monster. They couldn't be more wrong.

While coincidentally, the Hachimata and Kyuubi had the most number of extra appendages and were the most powerful, the bijuu were ranked by the powers that the demons could possess. Some like the Ichibi could control wind, Kyuubi could control fire, and so on. But there was one bijuu that could fight with a balanced arsenal of the elements. That demon was the Gobi, Houkou.

Houkou was a wise bijuu. It respected the gods that created it and bowed before the other two beings stronger than it, the Hachimata and Kyuubi, respectively. However, Houkou didn't flaunt its superiority over the other bijuu, even the ones that it defeated. It was as honorable as a bijuu could be. And as such, it made a deal with the human race, more specifically, two very promising young humans.

These two would later create a village, one of the strongest in the world. They would also end up fighting to set the course of history, but as of right now, that is unimportant. One Uchiha Madara and one Senju Kinpaku were both the leaders of their clans and both pursued change. The Uchiha family hailed from the north, a small providence of Iwagakure no Sato. The Kinpaku clan was from the center of the continent that would later become Kusagakure. By bringing together two world renown clans, their idealistic village would be impeccable.

Houkou sought after these two leaders and pleaded with them to help bring peace to the bijuu. It was no secret that the Kyuubi was anticipating the day it could slash open the numerous throats of the Hachimata. So, the Gobi, in all its wisdom, gave the two men gifts if they promised to create their village that would try to bring a more large scale sense of peace to the world.

Both parties consented, and the Gobi gave the Uchiha leader two extra abilities to his sacred Mankeyou Sharingan. The first was a mighty fire attack that called upon the god of fire herself to rain down flames on the unfortunate target. Ameratsu would become one of the most infamous and fearful fire jutsus every created. The second gift granted was one from Houkou's own personal stash. Since the Gobi was the inspiration of genjutsu, being the bijuu with the power of illusion, it gave Madara's Sharingan Tsukiyomi, a jutsu capable of creating a dimension where the user is in complete control and able to impose any situation on one person for seventy-two hours straight in the course of several seconds in real time. Truly a powerful genjutsu. But that was not all that the Gobi left for Madara. His blood would carry on those two gifts, enhancing the doujutsu even further. Any Uchiha that had Madara's blood pumping in his or her veins would be able to wield the Mankeyou to it's fullest.

Sadly, just prior to the Gobi's offering, Kinpaku fell ill with a disease that threatened to end his very life and destroy the dreams of both important clans. So, to Kinpaku, Houkou gave the gift of life. Kinpaku was able to live on thanks to the healing energies that only a bijuu could master. But that treatment also influenced his other gift, Mokuton. Kinpaku would be able to combine his chakras like no other human and manifest life. By bringing together the powers of wood and water, Mokuton would be able to inspire life from even the most barren soil. Unfortunately, Kinpaku's children, born before this gift, would not be granted the ever useful Mokuton. And as fate would have it, the disease left Kinpaku infertile. Not even the healing hands of the Gobi could reverse that.

Across the world, other bijuu posed similar offers. In the east, the Sanbi Isonade gave the newly created Kirigakure seven enchanted swords to the strongest men there who helped it to defeat the the Shichibi Kaku. One of them being his very own servant, Samehada, who would collect vast amounts of chakra for its master. Also, Isonade delivered upon the most prominent clan a piece of its soul. The descendants of that clan would grow up with one of the strongest kekkei genkais ever recorded: Hyouton.

Unfortunately, Houkou's gifts corrupted Uchiha Madara's poorly transplanted Sharingan which he stole from his brother in hopes of escaping the darkness. This betrayal of trust eventually led to the creation of the Valley of the End, where both Kinpkau and Madara said their last goodbyes with a fight for the ages. Madara left his village in shame, but let the Uchiha name live on in Konohagakure no Sato, the most recently created hidden village in all the continent.

Kinpaku would go on to become the Shodai Hokage in his village after setting up a formal government and political house with the feudal lords and noble families in the Land of Fire. In memory of his old comrade and the giver of his Mokuton, Kinpaku created the Will of Fire, a belief that as long as one loyal shinobi stood in the name of Konoha, than his village would live to see another day. This Will of Fire would go on to be known throughout the Land of Fire as the inspiration for every single shinobi and kunoichi who fought for Konoha and its name.

Because both Mokuton and the Makeyou's extra abilities were from the third strongest bijuu, they too carried part of its soul. Both Kinpaku and Madara would later discover the true reason for their gifts, the ability to weaken the other bijuu. Yes, the Gobi knew that the bijuu's peace (if one could call it that) would not last long so it devised a way of merging its soul with that of the receiver of its powers.

Before Kinpaku died, he had part of his soul sealed into a necklace. This necklace held a bit of the power that created his Mokuton and a fragment of Houkou's soul inside. By using this, the other bijuu's powers would be weakened, though not to the extent of either Kinpaku or Madara. Kinpaku knew that this was the only way to ensure his clan's- no, his village's survival in the event that they were ever forced to fight a bijuu in the future. In some ways, this act was similar to passing down a kekkei genkai.

However, in the coming years, when the Hachimata was used as bait for the Kyuubi to strike down Konohagakure no Sato, one man would rise and fight the 'King of Bijuu', even without a crystal necklace. That man was Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage.

And even though Minato failed at defeating the most powerful bijuu ever created, he spared his village complete annihilation. Even if it meant damning his son for the rest of his life.

This is where our story begins...

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_**Several Years Later – Konohagakure no Sato**_

Tenzou walked home quietly. He had just completed an S-rank mission with the help of his ANBU team. But now, having been away from home for two weeks on duty, he was walking home and looking forward to a hot shower and long, deep night's sleep.

Tenzou looked up and admired the sky with it's streaks of pink flowing in the clouds, making a trail to the setting sun in the west. His life as a ninja rarely allowed him these types of moments, so he reveled in them when he could.

It all started many years before when Tenzou was just a child. He was taken against his will with one of his village's most despicable ninjas since its creation: Orochimaru. Tenzou was taken to an underground lab and experimented on. His odds of survival were next to nothing, and because his kidnapper was forced to abandoned his tests, he lived. The statistics of that happening based on the initial group were 1 in 60. Tenzou being that one.

The test was a disgrace to the very laws of humanity. Orochimaru sought power, and whom better to take said power from than the Shodai Hokage himself? The man that spent countless years fighting for a place to leave behind when he crossed into the afterlife. The man who was fabled to have been able spprout limbs of plants from his body to use during combat. The man the current Hokage looked up to like a legend. Anyway, Orochimaru extracted the DNA of one of Konohagakure no Sato's founding fathers and implanted it into sixty children. That was of course before he was ostracized from his village by the Sandaime Hokage. Orochimaru's sensei and master since childhood had the responsibility of killing his favorite student, but he couldn't. However, that is a story for another time.

To put it simply, Tenzou was a miracle to medical science. He was the first successful subject of transferring a kekkei genkai from one person to another with no real blood relation. It was a feat considered impossible, but somehow, either by the hands of Kami or sheer luck, Tenzou was given one of the most powerful elemental bloodlines that had thought to have been lost with the Shodai: Mokuton.

Yes, Mokuton, the very ability that helped to craft young Konoha from desolate forests and wide meadows. The same ability that defeated a madman bent on immortality decades ago when the peaceful village was made by the help of two prestigious clans.

Although Tenzou was given the DNA of the Shodai, he had no idea as to why the Mokuton ability wasn't passed on to the descendants of the Shodai Hokage. It was technically classified as a kekki genkai, yet it followed very few rules of the bloodline. The theory was that all bloodlines were passed on from generation to generation. One person was usually found to have a bloodline and then his or her children would carry it on. Only the Shodai and Madara knew why Mokuton hadn't been passed on. They kept that secret safe from getting out to the public. It wouldn't end well if the other bijuu had learned of the deal that had taken place at the time.

But it was that problem that had kept Tenzou up many a night wondering just how in Kami's name he was able to use something only once ever used before.

Tenzou sighed to himself while passing a dark alleyway. He was only ten blocks away from his apartment, and although he could make the trip in a little over four seconds by running at top speeds, it was worth taking the extra time and enjoying the night air nip at the back of his neck while watching the sun set in the distance. Konoha may not be perfect, but it had one beautiful sunset at twilight.

He stared ahead at the small children running around in the distance, most likely playing ninja. Children that age were so naïve, so innocent, and so pure. They had no idea what would happen if those wooden toy kunai were real, yet they played the game like it was tag. That was just every day life in a ninja village. Most shinobi had a short life expectancy. Hell, being a Genin in Konoha had the odds of five percent death on one's beginning six months. Those were still must better statistics compared to other villages such as Kiri or Iwa, though.

Tenzou stared blankly, his dark eyes reflecting purple in the light of the setting sun. How he wished to be able to remove his mask and let the cool breeze wash over him. But he couldn't. Even in the heart of Konoha, it was unsafe to let one's face be exposed like that. For the ANBU at least. Damn regulations...

Something small and orange blew past him on his left. A normal person would step aside, or let out an outburst. But Tenzou didn't so much as flinch. It was common to be on alert and not react to such trivial things.

His interest was piqued however when the orange clad child ran into an alley way. He was more intrigued when three men ran down the street as well, stopping in front of the alley way as well. The men shouted something inaudible then began running into the dark ally. Screams of pain were heard almost immediately afterward. Tenzou ran up and tried to see what was happening. What Tenzou saw next appalled him. All three of the villagers were beating the young child! It was absurd; he had to do something.

But just before he could draw a kunai, something happened. Something very, very bad. The boy who was covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises began glowing. A shuriken in his thigh popped out and the wound healed suddenly. A head of bright yellow rose up while red chakra began to spiral around him. All three of the men stopped abruptly, shocked to see extra long teeth protruding from their prey's lips.

His face twisted into a snarl and the young boy jumped at the nearest villager. His eyes flashed from bright blue to enraged crimson. One hand swept across the figure's chest and blood erupted from the wound. Instantly the man cried in pain as his flesh seemed to boil. Luckily for him, blissful unconsciousness came quickly.

'Is that...the Uzumaki? The Jinchuuriki? I thought that Sandaime-sama said he was harmless? What the fuck is this? He can't be more than six years old!? He shouldn't be able to do that...unless he can't! Please, don't let the seal break! This can't be good!'

Tenzou reached out one hand and forced chakra into his palm, a seal appearing instantaneously. 'Please let this be enough.'

Wood erupted from the walls and ground, surrounding the now stunned child. What appeared to have been the head of a dragon clamped onto his wrist, holding on tightly. Seconds later, more wooden heads latched onto the boy, keeping him in their grasp. Then, as if by magic, the red chakra receded into the angry boy and he collapsed into the dirt.

"Neither of you two are to move." Tenzou's voice was cold, demanding. Both men who had been crawling away ever so slowly halted their movements. "That pulse of chakra will have every decent ninja within a mile's radius on high alert. You two wait for further orders."

Neither man could do anything more than reply with a nod. They hadn't even seen the ANBU show up. Oh they were so fucked.

Tenzou knelt down and picked up the body of Uzumaki Naruto. Behind him, three squads of ANBU landed and looked around for the source of the malicious chakra. "Zaimoku-taicho, what has happened here?" one ANBU in front asked after surveying the damage.

Tenzou replied, "That is not important. That man over there, the unconscious one, he needs medical attention. The other two now need to be under arrest for assault on a resident of Konoha."

"Is that...the demon bra- Jinchuuriki, Zaimoku-taicho? What are you do doing with him?"

"I'm taking him to the Hokage. He needs to see this. Everyone else, go. That man's life could be in danger, along with his," he said referencing the dirty bundle of blood and bruises in his arms, "so we can't afford too much time chitchatting here. I gave you all orders, now go."

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"Hokage-sama! I need to speak to you!"

The reply was even answered by the time Tenzou had broken through the majestic looking doors to the Hokage office.

The Sandaime Hokage looked up, already aware of the situation. He felt the demon's chakra flare up, but it was so weak compared to the real thing. He couldn't just rush out like that, so he sent three of his best ANBU elite squads.

"Tenzou-san, place him here." Sarutobi motioning to a wide magenta couch along the western wall. He stood and surveyed the lightly damaged body as Tenzou placed him gently down.

"Hokage-sama, I was heading home and I stopped when I heard shouting. I walked in on three men assaulting him. I tried to put a stop to it, but I couldn't do so in time. Somehow...he accessed the Kyuubi's chakra or something. I don't know what happened. He just started glowing...I was worried that the seal may have broken. So I brought him here."

"That is very good Tenzou-san. I'm glad it was you who found him and not one of Danzou's men. Kami knows what would have happened then. I'm no medical expert, but it seems as if his wounds are being healed. His body is stabilized, but I would still prefer to have a professional look over him." Sarutobi looked over Naruto's body, taking mental note of all the damage done. So far, it was all being rapidly healed. It would most likely look completely fine the next morning.

"We must watch over him. There is no telling what might happen if _that_ chakra is called upon again. Thankfully you were there to repress the demon's influence... I just don't know..."

"Hokage-sama?"

"Both Jiraiya and Tsunade would be so useful right now, I just wish I knew where they were. Jiraiya was the only other one Minato collaborated with on his sealing methods. Perhaps he would be able to give us some useful insight on the complexities of the jutsu. Anything we try to do could potentially reverse the effects and unleash more of the Kyuubi's chakra. If that happens, Konoha would cease to exist..."

"We could send a search party after Jiraiya-sama. Maybe we would have some luck in finding him... Then he could tell just what this seal is supposed to do... But he has been away so much since that day. What do you think?"

Tenzou adverted his attention back to the sleeping form before him. The blonde's clothes were stained with blood and dirt while rips, probably from kunai, streaked across his chest. From the looks of it, the boy shouldn't have been breathing, yet there he lay, a mildly content look on his face. His eye was twitching. Tenzou couldn't determine if that was from the horrible chakra flooding his system or from a dream.

The Sandaime sat down heavily in his chair, eying Tenzou from across the desk. "You know that it would take some time before Jiraiya would be able return. Even if we do somehow find him, it would take several days to get him here."

"When would you like to me to leave, Hokage-sama? I can go at anytime." Tenzou sat stoically, staring the Hokage dead in the eye. 'So much for that night's sleep...'

"I don't. In this state, we have no idea how Naruto is mentally. He could be completely fine or...he could take on demonic traits after accessing that chakra. We have to wait to find out. Until then, I would like to assign you to be his guardian. It would be temporary, but you have the Shodai's 'gift'. I know that you'll be able to stop the Kyuubi's chakra in the event that it ever spikes again. I know it seems like a babysitting mission from the D-rank pile...but if that boy loses control, the entire village would be wiped off the map. So, consider it more of an S-rank accompaniment type of thing. You are literally the only one for the job on this. Do you accept?"

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

"Good. I'll give you the codename 'Yamato'. You will also be treated as a normal Jounin, not an elite ANBU." Sarutobi smiled lightly. He didn't know many people he could trust, but right now, he was talking to one of them. "I also expect you to watch him, all the time. He is under your watch now. I am making this your number one priority. You may train, but Naruto must be with you always. I would need a bi-weekly progress report delivered in person. I will tell you when Jiraiya is back. Until then, keep him safe."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"On a side note, I'll provide you with an allowance to help pay for food and other expenses for this. Dismissed."

Tenzou stood tall and removed his mask, placing it in his back kunai pouch for the time being. For a while, he was Yamato. Just another average Jounin.

Yamato walked across the room and picked up Naruto before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. 'What has happened around here...Minato?'

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A/N: I have an idea as to the pairing. Not Hinata. Not this one. One of my other stories that I write next will be a Naruto/Hinata pairing, but for this one, I'm open. I was leaning a bit towards Tenten. You'll see why in later chapters if you like this so far. But yeah, this could be considered a prologue or something. I don't know. I just wanted to get so much down and this seemed to have been the best way to do so. Anyway, review if you liked it.


	2. Yamato's Power

A/N: I'm glad that many of you seemed to have liked the first chapter. I appreciate everyone that reviewed. And I've changed Naruto's age from eight to six. Just so you all know. Read, review, enjoy.

**Yamato's Power**

Kyuubi glared at the mass of chakra taking shape in front of him. He knew this feeling. He knew that chakra signature. This chakra belonged to one of the bijuu that had betrayed his fellow demon. He had given humans a part of himself. He had given humans _their_ powers. He had made them strong enough to be able to take on some of the bijuu. And for what reason? He didn't know. But he sure as hell was going to find out.

So the Kyuubi leaked out more of his chakra from beyond the seal towards to mass of chakra. The two chakras met and began to materialize a shape.

"**It has been a while,** **hasn't it, Kyuubi."**

"**Indeed it has been, Houkou. Mind telling me what you are doing in my vessel now?"**

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Yamato stared down at the young boy tightly nestled under the covers. Shortly after arriving at the ANBU's apartment, Yamato set to work at cleaning any horrible wounds and checking his vitals. Just a couple minutes before, he had put him to bed. Any questions he had would be answered in the morning, assuming the six year old knew just what exactly had happened.

It was so...scary to a young child lash out at someone with the intent to kill. But those eyes... They shook Yamato to the very core. He had only seen those eyes once before, on the worst night of his life. It was six and a half years ago when the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. The reason was never known. But the mayhem and chaos it caused was unbelievable. The Kyuubi, the strongest bijuu ever, chose to attack a peaceful village out of the blue.

On that night, many people gave their lives for the good of the village. Men and women of all clans fought to protect their loved ones inside the village. It was that night that the lives of so many were changed. Among them was a boy, just born into the world. He was the son of a Hokage and a powerful kunoichi, but the people he saved only saw him as a demon. Of course, only a select few knew the child's real heritage, but that is beside the point. He was only a boy, and yet they treated him like an abomination from beyond the gates of hell.

Yamato was sure that tonight wasn't the first attempt on the boy's life, but he knew it was the last one. As long as that boy was under his watch, he would be protected. And not just because Sarutobi asked it of him. No, that had very little to do with it. He knew that Naruto wasn't a demon. If so, those three men would be in far more critical health, possibly dead. No, if Naruto was a demon, Konoha would have burned to the ground several times over. There was no reason to let out one's anger on a boy who understood so very little. It made no sense. It was a crime so heinous, yet so many committed it. Even with the support, albeit limited, of a Kage, Naruto deserved better.

But that was the sad truth. If Sarutobi had made more laws protecting the 'demon-brat', then the council would assume that either he was a demon loving traitor who should be put to death, or being manipulated by the demon himself. Both ways lead to worse conditions for the boy, so Sarutobi did the most he could under those circumstances. Hell, he couldn't even give him money from the village for fear of the villagers of protesting, so every bit came directly from his pocket. In Yamato's eyes, Sarutobi was a real shinobi and leader. He was always thinking of others before himself, and that is why Yamato held him in such high regard.

Too bad most of the village was ready to throw him to the lion's den if he overstepped his boundaries concerning the Jinchuuriki.

It was about this time that Yamato noticed Naruto beginning to wake up. He was slightly surprised to see that he had been lost in thought for quite some time. He watched as his young charge opened his eyes and began blinking a couple of times before taking in his surroundings.

"Where...where am I?" Naruto asked as he pushed himself up. The blonde boy looked around the room until he laid his eyes on Yamato standing in the corner with his back against the wall. To Naruto, the man looked like any other Jounin he had seen before, except for his hitai-ate. It was like it stretched across his forehead and around his cheeks. What a weird thing to wear...

"You are in my apartment," the man replied, void of emotion. His black eyes continued looking at Naruto, sizing him up now that he was fully awake. 'He's very interesting. Those wounds should have kept him out for at least another six hours. I think Hokage-sama said something about healing powers... must be a side effect of the Kyuubi...'

"Quit looking at me like that."

Yamato continued to do so, ignoring the child's remark.

After several minutes, Naruto spoke again, "What happened to me? Why am I here?"

"What do you remember about earlier?" the ninja asked without answering.

"I was heading home...I wanted to stop by and get me some ramen, but I didn't have any money...and then these guys started chasing me. I remember running away but then...it's all a blur," Naruto recited, trying to recollect his memories.

"Do you feel any different? Compared to normal?"

"No," he paused, "well, my legs hurt a little. And my hand. It hurts too."

"Which one?"

"Um..." He held up both hands, looking at them in front of his face. Finally he put down his left hand."My left one." He started wiggling his fingers a little bit, wincing in pain as he did so.

"That's your right."

"Oh, then this one."

'That's the hand he used to retaliate the attacker. He must have had a high concentration of chakra in that one, then. His legs most likely hurt from the running, then replacing his normal energy with the demon's.' Yamato remained silent for a while, his black eyes focused completely on Naruto.

"You still didn't answer me."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"It's against the law for me to say something."

Naruto digested the informations quietly, trying to overcome the confusion as to why it was illegal for him to answer a simple question. Probably some complicated adult thing...

"Can I go now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"You're supposed to stay here."

"Says who?"

"Hokage-sama."

"What's the old man got against me? Making me stay in some random guy's apartment all day," Naruto whined.

"He has nothing against you. And show some respect. He is not some 'old man.'"

"Yeah he is! He's like...really old!"

Yamato sighed to himself. This kid was a bit annoying.

"Hey...what's your name?" Naruto asked after ceasing to mock one of the strongest men alive with a variety of age jokes.

"Yamato."

"Yamato...I don't like you. You won't let me leave. I'm going to tell the old man."

"If you behave, I'll get you some ramen," Yamato said simply after a couple of minutes.

"Really?"

Yamato merely nodded in response.

"YAY! Yamato, you're awesome! Let's go! Ramen! Ramen! Ramen! Ramen! Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!" Nartuo cheered happily.

'He's a bit bipolar... At least now I know what to do to calm him down... Or at least sway his feelings at the drop of a hat...'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was close to half after ten when the two left Ichiraku Ramen. Yamato's wallet was significantly lighter than previously.

'This kid's not human! There's no way he can possibly consume that much ramen in a single sitting! I'm going to have to ask for an x-ray or something to prove that there isn't a second stomach in there...'

"Ha...that was really good! We should go there everyday!"

Yamato looked back to find a widely smiling Teuchi behind the counter. "Come back anytime!" he called merrily.

"No."

Teuchi's face dropped almost immediately. 'I guess that means no early retirement... Damn.'

"Hey, Yamato, where're we going?"

"I'm going to take you to see Hokage-sama. That is, if he's at his office still. Otherwise, we'll talk to him tomorrow."

"What do you need to do there?"

'Ask for an advancement on that allowance...' Yamato turned to look at the young blonde walking beside him. He was wearing an oversized shirt and some quickly modified pants of Yamato's. The boy looked like he was shrinking in on himself. "I need you to talk to Hokage-sama, okay?"

"Can we get more ramen later if I do?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Maybe."

"Then let's go!" Naruto cried as he picked up speed.

It took the pair some time to get to the Hokage building, mainly because Naruto kept tripping up on his excessively long pants. 'Guess I'll have to stop by and get your stuff from your apartment later on...'

When they arrived, Naruto ran up to the slender woman sitting at a mahogany desk behind a miniature mountain of paperwork.

"Yukimi-neechan!" Naruto said while hugging her. The woman moved a lock of her red hair out of her eyes before turning in her seat to face Naruto.

She bent down so that she was a little over eye level with the young boy and replied, "How have you been, Naruto-kun?" She darted her eyes at the man who had brought him in earlier in such a horrible condition, expecting some affirmation that he was okay. Yamato nodded at the question.

'Interesting; I was expecting at least a little bit of hatred from her. I guess that Naruto and she have gotten close over the years. He truly is an odd person.'

"I'm great! Guess what! Yamato here bought me some ramen! And he promised to get me some more! He's awesome, isn't he!?"

Yukimi chuckled and ruffled Naruto's hair. "He sounds like it. Now then, what might you two be doing here?" she asked while smiling at Naruto.

"We're here to see the old man! And afterwards, Yamato said he'd get me more ramen!"

Yamato had to resist sweatdropping. Instead he shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'This kid needs some better priorities.'

"That sounds fun. Hang on, let me ask him if he can see you." Yukimi reached over to a silver button next to a speaker on her desk. "Hokage-sama, Uzumaki Naruto and..." She looked at Yamato.

"Yamato."

"...Yamato are here to see you."

"Thank you, send them in." the speaker crackled.

Yukimi gestured towards the door.

"Thank you, Yukimi-san. Come on, Naruto."

"Aww...I wanted to stay and talk to Yukimi-neechan some more..."

"Ramen."

"YAY, RAMEN! Bye, Yukimi-neechan! Ramen, ramen, ramen, ramen, ramen, ramen, ramen!" Naruto chanted as he walked through the now open door. This time, Yamato couldn't stop himself from sweatdropping. Yukimi merely laughed at the boy's antics before resuming her work.

Sarutobi looked up as Naruto strode into his office, singing something about ramen. "Ah, Naruto, good to see you're feeling better."

Naruto was too preoccupied at the moment with deciding which flavors his next meal would consist of. Yamato walked past him and sat in front of the Hokage's desk on an ornate armchair. "Naruto, come here."

Instantly, Naruto stopped. He knew better than to annoy the man who had promised to pay for his insatiable appetite of ramen. He sat in the chair next to Yamato, looking expectantly at the brown haired man.

Sarutobi's jaw nearly went slack jawed at this series of events. He had NEVER seen Naruto be controlled so easily. And with so few words spoken. Oh yes, he chose well for Naruto's caretaker.

Yamato chose his words carefully. "Hokage-sama, I...I'm not sure how to put this. But, I think it's for Naruto's best interest that he learns about his past. I feel that he should be permitted to understand just exactly why...things are the way they are. Forgive me for overstepping my boundaries."

"Not at all. I guess this incident earlier tonight has led us to this. Very well, Naruto. I am about to tell you something very important. Okay? It's a big secret concerning you. Are you ready?"

"Uhh-huh," Naruto said while nodding.

"Alright, I know you haven't been to the Academy, so let me go over the past several years of Konoha's history. Basically, I chose the Yondaime. He's the one on the far right of the Hokage mountain. He was a really great man. He was a determined and honorable shinobi. But there was a problem. One night, the Kyuubi no Kitsune decided to attack Konoha. It was a nine tailed monster with unbelievable strength. But, the Yondaime defeated the fox. Unfortunately, there was a catch. You see, the fox was an immortal." Sarutobi stopped at the apparent confusion on Naruto's face. "Immortal means it can't die," he said simply. He had to remember he was talking to a six year old. "Anyway, the Yondaime did his best, but the fox was just too strong. So he used a kinjutsu, a forbidden technique, and sealed away the beast. But he couldn't do it to himself. The method he used couldn't absorb the fox's chakra, so instead, he put the fox in a newborn baby. Because a baby's chakra coils hadn't fully developed. So that meant that the bad chakra wouldn't kill it, and his body could grow to get used to the chakra, instead of rejecting it. Do you understand so far?"

Naruto answered weakly, "Yes."

"Okay. Now, this baby couldn't be just anyone's. The Yondaime couldn't just go up to someone in the hospital and say, "Hey, do you mind if I use your kid to seal a powerful monster inside. I'll give him right back afterwards." So he chose to use his son instead. He knew that his child would be powerful. He knew that he would be able to hold back the demon and protect the village. He knew that by using his own son, he would be able to grow up and keep everyone safe. And he was right. He did. His son was strong. His son protected everyone. Naruto... you were his son. You were the one the Yondaime chose."

Sarutobi continued looking at Naruto, expecting some type of visual reaction. Perhaps he should have been a bit more careful about telling him so much. Telling him he was the son of the greatest Hokage in existence and Jinchuuriki of the most powerful demon all at once might have been too much.

Yamato also sat silent, watching Naruto. He was waiting for either sorrow or anger to erupt from the young boy. He was surprised at what he saw next.

Naruto smiled.

He stayed quiet for several minutes, but he was smiling. "So my dad expected me to become stronger than him? Okay then..." he grew silent for a moment, "from this point on, I'm gonna work hard. And then, I'm going to be Hokage. Then, this whole place will see that I'm better than some brat. They'll know that I'm the one who's saving all their asses. And they're gonna know that Uzumaki Naruto is the best, most awesome ninja in existence! Yeah...that sounds hella good. I like it. Consider it a promise from the future Hokage." Naruto continued smiling, waiting for a response from either of the two men.

A grin formed on Sarutobi's face. He had honestly expected the boy to freak out, but instead, he took it in stride. 'Let's hope you can fulfill your promise then, Naruto.'

It was amazing as to how the mind of Uzumaki Naruto worked. Any other person would have been upset to hear that they had a demon locked inside them, but not Naruto. He only heard that he was chosen to protect everyone. He didn't care that no one respected him for it. He didn't care that they all probably hated him for it. No, he only cared about the fact that his father trusted him enough to be able to give him that type of responsibility. To him, that was all that mattered. As long as everyone was safe and he lived up to his father's expectations, he didn't mind suffering. Not in the slightest. That is what set Uzumaki Naruto apart from everyone else. And this is what would make him a top-notch ninja.

Finally, Sarutobi spoke. "I am very proud of you, Naruto. You really are your father's son. I'm glad that you are not angry at him. He did what he could to save everyone, including you. You're very mature to be able to take this so easily." He turned to Yamato to see a smile playing on his features as well. "Now, Naruto, you need to know this: it is illegal for people to talk about this. Except you. You can tell whoever you want, just don't brag about it. Your father was a noble man and I don't think he would want his son to be running around blabbing all of this. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded. "I got it, old man. You can trust me with this, don't worry at all. But...um, why does he get to know?" he said while pointing at Yamato.

"I'll let Yamato tell you all the finer details, but suffice it to say that he will be looking after you for a while."

"You mean like my own bodyguard!? Awesome."

"Sorta, but don't go telling many people that either."

"So, what does all this mean? Is he gonna be living with me or something? Is that why I woke up at your place?" he asked Yamato.

"Yes, Hokage-sama asked me to take care of you for the time being and I figured it would be best to take you there."

"Okay..."

"Now Naruto, why don't you go talk to Yukimi-san for a while? I have some things I want to talk to Yamato-san with for a little bit."

"Sure." Naruto hopped out of his chair and walked to the other side of the room. He threw a glance back at the two older men who had followed him with their eyes and opened the door. Once the pair heard the soft click of the door being closed, they turned back to face each other.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I think this will make it a little easier for a while."

"I'm glad that you agreed to be his caretaker. He doesn't have anyone else. What with his mother passing and all."

"That reminds me, what do I say when he asks?"

"Since he handled this well, I suppose the truth will be the best course of action. I think he can take it."

"Hokage-sama, would it be better if I moved him away from the village for a while? You know, perhaps a little ways into the forest for the time being. I feel it would be nice for him to be away so that I could teach him some things. He said he wanted to become a ninja and since there really is nothing else for him to do here in the village..."

"You mean the basics of being a shinobi, such as chakra control and minor jutsus. The type of things taught at the Academy?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. And if we were isolated away from the main part of the village, he could live without the fear of being attacked or something. Plus, I could give my undivided attention into protecting him. As here poses too many variables in the event of an emergency."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Of course, I would still need progress reports and such. But from what I have seen so far, he has taken a liking to you. See how he feels about it, and if he consents, you have my blessing."

"Thank, Hokage-sama."

Yamato stood and bowed politely before walking across the room and exiting.

'You are in some good hands, Naruto.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Yamato, where are we going now?"

"Your apartment. We're going to get your stuff."

"I thought you were living with me?"

"Technically, I'm supposed to take care of you and watch your back at all times. However, I'm not much for staying in the village for too long at once. Usually I have only a couple of days of down time before I'm assigned another mission. But now, I am going to be here for at least a month. So, I thought it would be fun to go somewhere else. What do you think? Would you like to see what I have planned?"

"Is it going to be fun?"

"No promises. But I can tell you that I have some plans involving training."

"What!? You mean like training me to be a ninja!?"

"Yes."

"LET'S GO!" Naruto cheered merrily as he began running ahead of Yamato.

'He doesn't understand that I can't just up and leave now... I'll tell him later. No need to spoil it for him now.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Naruto, wake up." Yamato stood over his bed, looking down at the young boy snoring lightly. He had given him his bed for the night while Yamato dozed lightly on the couch. It wasn't what he was wanting, but it didn't matter. He doubted he would have slept much anyway. "Naruto, I said 'wake up.'"

Naruto chose to grumble incoherently.

"Okay, I guess you don't want to take part in my training. I'm sure I can find someone more deserving anyway..."

"I'M UP!"

"Good, now get dressed and gather your things. We're leaving in half an hour."

"Okay, okay..." was all that was heard in response.

After a quick bite to eat, the two were on their way. Naruto was busy asking where they were going every ten seconds and Yamato was reevaluating on how wrong it would be for him to pop him over the head each time he muttered "Where're we going?". On the one hand, the boy had been exposed to too much aggression and violence in the past, and him hitting him would only further degrade any sense of self worth he may have been able to manifest in the last few years. On the other hand, he would shut the fuck up. It was a conundrum. In the end, Yamato decided to pick him up, throw him over his shoulder and run as fast as possible towards the forest. Naruto was wailing like a maniac all the way, enjoying the rush of flying through the city streets.

After ten minutes of constant tree hopping, they landed in a clearing. Naruto never understood how his body never felt much of an impact each time they jumped from one branch to another; he figured it was a ninja thing. A light wind picked up and the long stalks of grass waved with the unseen force. Yamato gently placed a slightly dazed Naruto on the ground and exhaled. "I think this will do nicely."

With that said, he clapped his hands together and pushed them to the ground. Nothing happened for a moment, then suddenly, wood shot out of the ground, Several pieces of lumber pushed together, forming walls. More wood poured from the dirt and twisted to cover the now giant, box-like shape. Naruto watched in amazement at what happening before his eyes. Still, Yamato kept his hands on the ground, pouring chakra into the earth. After several minutes, the structure gained a roof, then as if by magic, the wood stopped flowing from the ground.

Yamato turned to his young charge and asked, "What do you think?"

"This...is... AWESOME!!! HOW DO YOU DO THAT!? YOU HAVE TO TEACH ME HOW!"

"I can't do that."

"Meanie! You just don't wanna teach me your secrets."

"That's not it. It's impossible for me to do that. It's complicated to explain; just know that it's something only I can do."

"That's not fair! I wanna do it too! Teach me!"

Yamato sighed quietly. This was going to be a test for him. He just knew it.

Naruto stopped whining after several minutes and looked at the house thoughtfully. "Hey, Yamato?"

"What is it?"

"Does this place have pipes and stuff?"

"You mean for plumbing?"

"Yeah! That's the word, plumbing. Does this place have it?"

"No."

"Then how're we gonna use the bathroom and stuff?"

"We're surrounded by forest. Take your pick of trees."

"Ew..."

"That's life for a ninja, Naruto. Sometimes in the field, there's no other choice."

"I don't like it."

"I don't expect you to. But as for fresh water..." Yamato walked over to the side of the house and flashed through some handseals. He placed his hands on the ground and whispered, "**Doton: Dokabe.**" Instantly, walls of mud shot up and spiraled around him. Then, they solidified into four, evenly tall walls, creating a large room. Yamato jumped up from the center and stood on the top. He made another series of handseals. "**Suiton: Bakusui Shouha,**" he muttered before spitting water from his mouth into the room. He hopped down after filling it to the top and looked down at Naruto. After firmly resting his hand on the side, a wood dragon head crawled from the earthen walls and opened it's mouth. Atop it's scalp sat a knob for accessing the water. Across the top of the water structure, wood slid across the opening, closing the roof off from unwanted pests.

The young boy was silent for a moment before yelling, "YOU _HAVE _TO TEACH ME THAT!!!"

"That, I can do. But only for the earth and water part. Even so, you're too young. That takes a lot of chakra to do. But at least we have some fresh water for a while. Now then, let's get inside, shall we?"

Naruto followed dumbly after witnessing just how awesome Yamato was. Inside, he was even more surprised. The house looked amazing. It wasn't furnished, but it was still awesome. On one side was a room with an open door way that led further into the left side of the bottom floor. On the rightmost wall was a stairway. It went up to the second floor where it split off into two directions. On was hidden by a wall, the other led to an open walkway over the rest of the bottom floor. Only a portion of the house was two stories, Naruto guessed that's where the bedrooms were.

There were no windows anywhere from what he could see, just open panes. Natural light poured in from outside, lighting up the house. Naruto continued letting his eyes wonder over everything in awe. He barely noticed Yamato slipping his shoes off and walking into the middle of what he could guess was the living room.

"So, what do you think of the inside?" Yamato called as he browsed around the various rooms. He had to admit, he did do good work at this type of thing.

"So you can do this anytime you want?"

"Pretty much. I've just never had a reason except when on a really long mission."

"Everything is just...so nice and cool looking..." Naruto said as he too slipped off his shoes.

'It's a lot better compared to your apartment. I was shocked at how you were living when we went to get your stuff last night. Consider this as my treat,' Yamato mused to himself. It was appalling to see graffiti on the kid's walls and the broken windows. The tile was breaking and the floor looked ready to give in at any moment. Yeah, he definitely made the right choice in bringing him out here. It was probably much safer anyway. And here, he wouldn't have to worry about being jumped one night like last time.

Naruto raced up the stairs, looking in each of the two rooms on that floor. "Which one's mine?" he asked from outside the doorway of the larger one.

"The other one."

"But this one's nicer," he complained loudly.

"That's why it's mine. Now scram, I need to unpack my stuff."

"Where do I put my things? There's no furniture in the other room."

Yamato placed his palm against the wall and let out a deep breath. Wood came from both the side and floor and began twisting. In seconds, there was a bed and dresser along with a small side table sitting in his room. "Now what do you want in your room?"

Naruto gripped his hand and yanked him eagerly into his bedroom. "I want a big bed, a nice dresser, a table, and a chair-no, two chairs, and a desk, and, "he looked at the ceiling, "a sky light. Can you made all that?"

"I don't see why not." Yamato placed both hand together and mixed his earth and water chakras. He focused on each thing that Naruto had asked for and closed his eyes. The wood from the walls sprouted more lumber and began to take the shape of furniture. The ceiling opened up and created a perfectly square opening. More light filled the room. Just after opening, bars of wood connected, forming a grid-like pattern that criss-crossed over the area. Naruto was smiling widely.

"What're the bars for?"

"To keep wild animals out. That reminds me." He walked over to the window and pushed chakra into the frame. More bars were made, creating the same pattern like that in the sky light.

"You could go into business making houses and stuff. I bet you'd make tons of money."

Yamato scanned the room with his eyes then looked down at the grinning blonde. "I could, but it wouldn't be nearly as fun as being a shinobi."

"Thanks for this, Yamato. For all of it," Naruto said while looking at the ground.

"It's nothing. Now then, meet me outside when you finish unpacking. I have something I'd like to teach you."

Naruto's head shot up at that. His eyes were gleaming, "You mean it!?"

"Yeah, so hurry up."

"Yes sir!" Naruto threw open his bag and began pouring his clothes into the various drawers. Yamato smiled slightly and went out back to wait for him.

It took Naruto just a few minutes before he was running full speed towards the front door. He slipped on his shoes and rounded the corner of the house. Naruto came into what he supposed was the back yard and saw Yamato meditating next to a tall wooden post. "I'm here," he panted hastily.

Yamato cracked an eyebrow and looked at his young charge. He stood wordlessly and walked over to him. "Okay, Naruto, I'm going to see just how strong you really are."

"You gonna fight me or something?"

"No, no, that wouldn't show me much other than the fact that I'm stronger than you. And that's a given. I'm going to test your stamina. It's basically just a sprint. You just keep running."

"For how long?"

"Until I say stop."

"Alright...I think I can do that."

"Go up to the post and wait until I say start. Then run all the way and touch the edge of the house, then run back to touch the post again. It's about twenty meters, so keep doing it until I say so or when you can't do it anymore. Clear?"

"Yeah..."

"Good. Now...GO!"

Yamato expected that Naruto would be able to run for a while. He expected for him to have a large amount of stamina. But what he didn't expect was for the child to be able to run from the house to the post for five hours straight and still be standing. That wasn't normal; not for a six year old. But then he began thinking that possibly the demon had something to do with it. He wasn't sure if the Kyuubi was able to keep him going long past his limits, or if it was able to force him to have more stamina, or if it was holding out on the kid and not doing anything at all.

But he knew that he was going to find out.


	3. The Gobi's Reason

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and addd this to their Alert . As for this story, I need to wait a while before posting another update so soon. I still have to update my other story. **The Fox and Boar,** since I haven't done so in a long while. Anyway, sorry for not giving the translation last chapter. They're here as well. Read, review, enjoy.

"Human."

**Summon.**

"**Kyuubi."**

**Houkou.**

**Suiton: Bakusui Shouha – **Water Release: Grand Water Explosion – User gathers chakra in his her body and releases it from the mouth. By doing this, the battlefield can be filled with water, depending on how much chakra was used. It is also used to create an abundance of water to later use more Suiton jutsus without fighting near a large body of water.

**Doton: Dokabe – **Earth Release: Earth Wall – User gather chakra in the arms and pushes it into the ground. By doing this, he or she is surrounded by blobs of mud that solidify and act as shields capable of withstanding much damage. The height of the shield, along with it's durability, is dependent on the amount of earth chakra used.

**The Gobi's Reason**

Naruto snored lightly in his sleep. He tossed and turned on his bed. It was stiff, but also comfortable. And although it consisted of only a heavy blanket and a pillow on top of a firm wooden frame, it was much better than his previous one. Outside his room, the crickets chirped, creating a cacophony of sound in the almost silent forest clearing. Naruto leaned his cheek on his pillow and listened to the soft noises before drifting back off. His muscles ached and his body felt sore. The day before, Yamato tested just how far Naruto's limits were. He was still determined to see how far the boy could be pushed. The results were truly promising.

Not only were his reflexes decent (Yamato assumed that they were honed from years of dodging attacks around the village), but his stamina was unbelievable. It just never seemed to end. His speed was also above average, which was surprising. Yamato thought that a poor diet of mainly discount ramen would hinder the growth of his bones and muscles, but his body was mostly healthy. Yamato guessed that the Kyuubi had taken some part in that. If his vessel was weak and unable to escape the wrath of the villagers, then there was the chance that he would die. And if his vessel died, it was possible the Kyuubi would also die. So apparently the Kyuubi had been producing minerals and proteins for Naruto's body to use in the absence of actual nutrition.

But aside from all that, Naruto was in perfect physical health. He could probably take on someone a couple of years older than him in a fight if necessary. But he knew absolutely nothing in self defense. So, after being forced to run all day, Naruto was taught some very basic katas to practice for taijutsu. It wasn't much, but it would do in the event that Yamato lost track of him in the village.

He had brought plenty of scrolls sealed with food and medical supplies, but that would only last so long. And they weren't there to spend all their time in the forest. Yamato would still have to take Naruto back to Konoha twice a week to deliver a progress report to the Hokage. But other than that, they had nothing to do.

Naruto expected to have some difficulty sleeping in this new place on his first night, yet here he was, sound asleep. Of course, that was to be expected after being forced to do such strenuous activity all day. He had barely made it up the staircase and into his room before he passed out on his bed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"**You traitorous mutt! You sold us out and for what!? How dare you call yourself one of us! If not for this damnable seal, I would tear open your throat and relish the taste of your blood. You wait. You just wait for the day when I crack this infernal boy's mind. I'll eat away at his soul and force him to release me. And then! I'll kill you where you stand. I'll hunt down your real body and bring you to the brink of death. Then I will slowly kill you...over and over... Afterwards, I'll finish off the Hachimata. I'll teach both of you for fucking with me."**

**Are you finished yet?**

The Kyuubi roared inside his cage angrily. **"How dare you speak to me! I am Kyuubi. I am immortal. Not even the strongest human could beat me. And neither could you and Nekomata when you fought together."**

**We were trying to stop you. You know what would have happened otherwise.**

"**Yes! I would have been happy! I would have killed that fucking snake!"**

**Kyuubi. Your behavior is what led to all of us being imprisoned in the first place. You demanded the humans worship you and the gods were enraged because the others began to imitate your selfishness. You never payed tribute to the gods, did you? What I did was necessary and you know it.**

"**Shut up, you damn mutt."**

**No, I speak the truth. The gods granted me the power of illusion and because of them, I am grateful. But you, Lord of Fire, have never done anything to thank them. And that is why I am free and you are trapped inside the belly of a human. **_**You**_** are the disgrace. Not me.**

"**I can't wait to hold your neck between my teeth."**

**This child. He is strong. Very strong in order to block out your influence. Unconsciously or not, that is quite the feat. I fear the day he accidentally hears you.**

"**This kit is weak. He is a worthless human. And you, a worthless human-lover."**

**For the last time, Kyuubi, I did what I had to in order to protect us all. I don't see you going after Isonade for giving humans a part of his soul.**

"**Isonade too!? I will also kill him when I leave this host. I swear it. After you and Hachimata are dead, he's next."**

**Isonade lives in the deepest crevice under the ocean. You dislike water, Kyuubi. And besides, he only shared his manipulation of water and ice as an act of gratitiude.**

"**Don't tell me what I like and dislike, you mutt!"**

**Now you are being childish.**

"**How dare you compare me with those mortal weaklings!"**

**If you continue this, I too must block you out.**

"**Do so and leave. Get your soul out of here. NOW! I'm tired of your presence."**

**It was your chakra that helped to revive me, you know.**

"**I regret that. I should have destroyed you instead."**

**You couldn't, even if you wanted to. This host is not so bad. I am just glad I was able to transfer part of my soul into him.**

"**Why were you in that human to begin with? I need to know the bastard that let you in here."**

**In the past, I saw a war that promised annihilation. It was part of a vision. Even you would have been killed in it.**

The Kyuubi snorted rudely. **"As if I could be destroyed like that."**

**I saw the Hachimata making a deal with a human to gain power. The Hachimata only needed to make this deal because you brought him to an inch away from death. He did so, and together, they were able to seal you away for good. But that led to the other demons waging war with the humans. And in the process, we were all destroyed. So I altered the course of the future. I gave away a part of my soul to two humans. Together they created a grand village. Inside each of them was a power so strong that even you would have trouble overcoming it. I did it as a last resort to stop the war from happening. Not even I could convince you to not attack the Hachimata. And you would have, had I not given those two my gifts.**

"**Your visions are worth nothing to me. And I will find that eight headed bastard. I will kill him, just to spite you now."**

**Your threats are meaningless if you can't get past a technique created by a mere human. To me, you are no threat. And by the looks of it, you won't be for quite some time.**

"**I should have destroyed you before setting my sights on the safe haven of the Hachimata. I should have rid the world of you before coming here. At least then I could rest easier."**

**So you tell yourself. But without me, your vessel will not be able to help us all. That is the other part of my vision. I saw a boy capable of housing you fight to stop those who will so mercilessly hunt us. Our days are numbered. It seems that the gods may have to cleanse the earth again, should he fail. Then, I wonder how much chance of survival we would have.**

"**What nonsense are you rambling on about now?"**

**Nothing. Just allow me to work. **

"**I'm going to enjoy your death so much more now."**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto awoke in the morning. He heard Yamato calling him from downstairs and he smelt something cooking. It smelt good. And then his stomach growled. So, Naruto got out of his bed and headed down to the first floor. He saw Yamato sitting in the middle of the living room with a small grill, cooking something.

"Ah, good, you're up. Here," Yamato said as Naruto sat down next to him on the floor. He held out a plate of cooked chicken.

"What's this?" the blonde asked as he took the plate and eyeballed it.

"Breakfast."

"Hey... why aren't there any chairs down here? Why didn't you make any more furniture last night?"

"I didn't feel like it. And this room is the largest in the whole house. At the very least we could use it to practice your stances and katas some days."

"Still doesn't explain why you can't make more chairs..." Naruto grumbled as be took a bite of his meal. "Hey, Yamato, this is really good!"

"Yeah, you need to eat like this every day. You're growing. You need to keep a healthy diet of meats and vegetables to ensure you grow up stronger."

"Why didn't you mention ramen as part of my diet?"

"Because it's not."

"WHAT!?"

"Ramen isn't the healthiest thing for you, and until I feel that you are eating well on your own, you can't have any," Yamato said simply before taking a bite of his own food.

"NO! Ramen is the greatest thing ever! You can't just take it away like that! It's not fair."

"Naruto, would you like to be Hokage?"

The sudden change in topic startled Naruto. He wasn't expecting this. "Yeah, I said so the other day at the old man's office."

"Well, I could say that by eating healthier would mean that you grow up to be big and strong, but I believe that is a load of shit. Changing your diet isn't the only thing to make you stronger. In the end, it comes down to your skill and determination. Being Hokage means being the strongest and most skilled shinobi in the entire village. And to become that, you need to be able to make sacrifices. If you can't give up your favorite food, then you have no business aspiring to be Hokage. Think about that."

Naruto stayed quiet for several minutes. "Sorry," he said weakly, "I didn't think about it like that."

'He's very similar to his father, how interesting. I wonder if he's going to become as strong as you too, Minato...' Yamato sat down his plate and looked at Naruto. "It's okay," he said warmly. "Now then, since I'm going to be teaching you some things, I'd like to make up some ground rules. You are to follow them and not complain at my methods. They may seem illogical and unnecessary, but in the end, they will help you. Understand?"

Naruto nodded in response.

"Good. I don't require that you call me 'sensei', mainly because I'm not a teacher. For the most part, I'm just passing on some of the basics. You can call me it if you want, I don't care either way. Next, you are to listen to me. At all times. Clear? Here, in the village, everywhere. Don't complain. It gets old, fast. I will not tolerate it. As I said, my goal is to help you, not to hurt you. If you have any questions, ask them. I don't want you confused, and as a shinobi, your strongest weapon is knowledge. Never forget that. Other than that, show respect to others when you are with me, and even when I'm not, do it anyway. A shinobi must know where they are on the food chain. It doesn't look too great for a village if their representatives are degrading the sense of pride and nobility that they hold by showing disrespect to others. I won't stand for it. Wars have been started over much less and I'll be damned if you start a dispute because you didn't properly address someone." Yamato stopped speaking to make sure that Naruto was still paying attention. Satisfied, he continued, "Around here, don't break anything. Just because I can fix it or make it again doesn't mean I am going to. You need to sleep regularly, but I'm not enforcing a bedtime. I'll let you be in charge of that. But if you are up at night, don't wake me." Yamato adjusted his face and widened his eyes to appear more intimidating. "Or else."

"Y-yes," Naruto squeaked. That face...it was just...wrong.

"Good. And Naruto, just so you know in the future: While I do prefer to interact with people in a gentle manner, I'm also not at all opposed to establishing my dominance in a reign of terror."

Naruto visibly gulped at that comment. The fact that Yamato didn't let his face relax until after saying that made him look extremely scary. Naruto knew that he needed to stay on his good side. Or else.

"Okay then. You finish that, I'll be out back meditating. Feel free to join me when you are ready to begin your daily training."

Naruto looked back down at his food and then followed Yamato out of the building with his eyes. "Creepy bastard trying to make scared..." Naruto muttered.

"I heard that, Naruto."

Naruto tensed up. "S-sorry!" he called desperately. 'Damn he has good hearing. Aww...that's gonna make staying up late even harder now!'

He finished his meal and went back to his room to change. He choose some light black shorts and a white Konoha t-shirt. After dressing, he ran outside and joined his sensei who was sitting cross-legged with his back to the wide, wooden post.

"Yesterday you showed me that you had incredible stamina. That is most likely a side-effect of having a demon sealed inside. I think that's increased your metabolism so that your body can process more fats to convert to energy. That may be why you are able to consume inhuman amounts of ramen. You with me so far?"

"Not really..." Naruto hung his head lower.

"Basically, you can eat a lot without getting fat. That also means that your body makes your food into energy quicker, which would also account for your large appetite. So, in short, you eat a lot. And you get a lot of energy. So far, that's a pretty decent foundation for being a shinobi."

Naruto's eyes lit up a little bit, but he chose not to speak. He guessed it wasn't wise to be egotistical around Yamato.

"So then. Let's get started. Today, I'm teaching you about jutsu. It's pretty simple, but the rate at which you understand it affects what we do next." He slipped into a casual stance. "Hit me," he said with a determined face.

"You want me to punch you or something?"

"I said 'hit me.' That means I expect you to attack. Now do it."

Naruto thought about it for a second to see if it was a test then reared back. He threw his all into the punch aimed directly for Yamato's chest. When he thought he made contact, his target turned into a log. "Wha- What's going on here?" Naruto asked shakily. The log landed next to him and Yamato appeared behind him.

"That, Naruto, was a Kawamari. That's when I use chakra to move really fast and replace my body with something obscure like a log. It's really useful and sometimes confuses the enemy."

"Wait...what is that stuff?"

"What? Chakra?"

"Yeah...I've heard of it before, but what is it?"

"Well, there are several different theories on chakra. For a while, it was believed that chakra was a combination of two energies. Those two energies being body and soul. But that didn't make any sense because of something called chakra exhaustion. It's when your body is worn out from an absence of chakra. If you ran out of chakra, you should still have decent supplies of both energies in your body to keep you going. So, medical experts began reevaluating their previous ideas. As of now, we know that chakra is made up of energy. But that energy is different from normal energy. It's able to sustain life or destroy it, depending on both the potency and methods used to mold it."

"Wait...how do you mold chakra?"

"Well, after years of research, it was discovered that chakra could be used in larger dosages by using what we ninjas call 'handseals.' They are special formations made by our hands that direct the flow of chakra in the 'chakra circulatory system.' That's how chakra moves throughout your body, like blood inside your veins. But by making certain hand gestures, people were able to manipulate their chakra in certain ways. Over time, that was also expanded to include elemental manipulation. That's when you can change your chakra, with the help of handseals, into one of the five elements. They are fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water. They say there used to be a sixth chakra, but that is speculation. Anyway, there were some people who developed elemental bloodlines over times. That's why someone can master an element to a special degree. The major ones I know of are in Kiri and Suna. I think there are some in Taki, but I can't say for sure. But, basically, there are these handseals, when used in conjunction with the proper amount of chakra, allow people to do things like this." Yamato stopped explaining and made a series of seals. He then melted into a puddle of water.

Naruto watched in awe at what his sensei had just done. He had just...melted.

Yamato then formed into himself again. He looked at Naruto expectantly.

"What was that jutsu?" Naruto asked calmly. Yamato could tell he was holding in from screaming at the top of his lungs how awesome it was and how he should be taught it as soon as possible.

"It is a stealth move I picked up in Kiri some time ago. I form a puddle of water and make my body one with it. It's a little complicated, but it's nice for hiding in plain sight. If you are of the water affinity, I'll teach it to you later."

"Huh?"

"Ah yes. I forgot about affinities. That means attraction or extreme liking to. Every single ninja has chakra. And each ninja has a chakra circulatory system. The thing is, those systems tend to be more geared for one type of element. It's just a means of teaching young ninjas what type of elemental ninjutsu they should be learning. It's also helpful to learn if you want to make your own jutsus."

"So...there are these seals...that move the chakra a special way and that makes elemental chakra?"

"It's actually a much more complex system involving moving chakra through certain elementally attuned tenketsus, but yes, that's the gist of it."

"You lost me again..."

"That's okay. A tenketsu is a pressure point that allows chakra to flow. It's like a pipe network and each tenketsu either strengthens or weakens chakra as it moves through it. For every, say fire tenketsu, you move chakra through, the amount of fire concentration in the chakra increases in power. So, if you do the wrong hand seal and move fire chakra through a water tenketsu, what happens?"

"It gets weaker?"

"Yes. So that is why it is important to remember the handseals for a jutsu. It is also why some jutsus have over a hundred handseals. The more a jutsu requires, the stronger it usually is. I say 'usually' because that's how it works out most of the time. There is always an exception."

"So each pressure point, it is meant for an element?"

"No, there are some that remain neutral and let normal chakra pass through them without changing the concentration. In every human body, there are 361 tenketsu points. So, there is usually an evenly distributed number of elemental tenketsu points active in someone. You see, each tenketsu carries either a positive or negative charge, depending on the element. That charge helps to pass on more energy through the body since each tenketsu is directly connected to the nervous system. This helps to deliver information to the brain to control the entire body. In the body, there are constantly changing charges inside both the chakra circulatory system and the nervous system. At the very minimum, there are 45 tenketsus for each element. That adds up to only 225. The rest are normal chakra points. But as that person grows up, they develop an extreme liking towards an element or two. So, the body just naturally begins to change the electrical charge of those remaining tenketsus to make using that type of element stronger. The brain begins using the nervous system to change the tenketsu's charge over time. You understand?"

"Yeah, as you use it more often, the stronger it gets! But how much?"

"That is unknown. No one has lived long enough to fully develop their remaining normal tenketsu into that of an elemental nature. If they did, even the most basic chakra usage would be laced with their most used element. Things like tree walking and such would become more complex because the elemental chakra would be used for everything and thus would be interacting with the environment a lot more. But there is one tenketsu that has never been reported to change. It is the one right here," Yamato said while pointing to the chest, just above the heart. "That is the most important tenketsu because it keeps your normal chakra active. It also has the most chakra pouring through it. By changing it, why, the entire body would change nature. Eventually, every tenketsu would match that one's charge because it affects each of them that much. So that's why it's neutral. At least, that's what the doctors say. They've been researching this stuff for hundreds of years and because of them, we can do so much."

"So...in all of shinobi history, people have been using chakra for this stuff?"

"Yes. It's so complicated, though. All of that just now, that was the quick version. I could go into how people theorize electroshock treatment or mild Raiton jutsus could be used to change the charges of the other elemental tenketsu points, but I don't think you want to hear all that."

"You're right. My head hurts. I'm still trying to figure out how to do all this..."

"I know how you feel. In the Academy, they barely cover this. I had to learn it to become an elite Jounin, though. So it is important."

"But wait...if you use handseals for everything, then doesn't that make every jutsu an elemental one?"

"Not quite. The way the handseals work is like this. Each handeals represents the flow of chakra. It's not the handseal that does the work, it's the focus used to do it. Scientists discovered long ago that the brain functions used to make these twelve gestures were the best ones to generalize the movement of chakra in the body. So, it was easier to just make people memorize these functions instead of teaching them Chakra Theory. By doing this, practically anyone with a chakra circulatory system could be a ninja as the difficulty was dramatically reduced. That's why some handseals are easy and some look completely messed up. But that only covers elemental manipulation. Shape manipulation involves using neutral chakra. Now, neutral chakra is actually harder and easier to manipulate, depending on the person learning and which field of ninjutsu they went into first. The reason is this. You must equalize the charges before using it to get perfect shape manipulation. So, if by accident, you slip up and add fire chakra to the chakra, you can't just discard it. You must balance it. Unfortunately, the charges aren't that even. One fire tenketsu doesn't provide the exact counterbalance for one water tenketsu. That's where it gets really tricky. Someone not well well acquainted with elemental manipulation is usually very successful in shape manipulation, and vice-versa. It takes years of skill and practice to master chakra control. That is why some jutsus are so difficult to learn. But it's also why some are easy to learn if your body is attuned for one element of close relation. Like fire and lightning. Both need a negative charge to create. That degree of charge and the usage of the chakra is what defines each element, though. It's just been noted that those accustomed to fire usually pick up lightning rather easily. The same happens with wind and water manipulation. Both rely on a steady flow of positive energy to maintain efficiency. Earth is the closest element to being neutral, which is why it is easy to pick up. Only a few handseals and tenketsu points are required to activate a powerful earth jutsu. It also happens to be a positively charged element."

"Wow...now my brain really hurts..." Naruto said while sitting on the grass. He gripped his head and leaned back and forth with the breeze.

"Just think about it for a minute and repeat what you know."

Naruto took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "Alright. There are twelve handseals that move chakra around the body. Inside the body are 361 tenketsu points that hold a um... charge. Each charge affects the chakra that is constantly being moved throughout the chakra circulatory system. Now then, as each charge gathers, the chakra gets stronger. After a certain point, the chakra can be used. But you said that was only one way for molding chakra... Never mind... It's not the handseals...it's the electricity in the brain that makes the chakra move around. So people only remembered those instead of all this crap... But people got better at it. On one side of the charge is fire and lightning. The other has wind, water, and earth. So that means it's easier for people to learn those since they're so close! And, and, and...by not hitting the elemental chakra points, you don't build a charge! And not doing that means shape manipulation! And, and people who are better at that usually aren't better at elemental manipulation. Right, is that it!?"

Yamato smiled. "Yes, Naruto, that's it. That's very good. I honestly expected you to forget a lot of it. I must say I'm impressed in your memory."

"You thought I was stupid?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you thought it."

"Maybe a little." Yamato reached down to pull Naruto up from the ground. The young boy took his hand and stood. "Now then, do you want to learn how it is I can make wood?"

"Does it involve making my brain hurt more?"

"I don't think so..."

"Does it involve another long-ass lecture?"

"Yes."

"Then my brain's gonna keep hurting!"

"I'll keep it short. Basically, I make water chakra in this hand," he said while bring his right hand in front of him, "and then combine it with the earth chakra I make in the other." Yamato brought together both hands to demonstrate. Around him, lumber began sprouting from the ground and his body. It wrapped around him and stretched before receding back into the earth.

"Now, why can only _you_ use it?"

"Apparently, when I was young, I was injected with the DNA of the Shodai Hokage. He had this ability to combine chakras like me. But he was much better at it. Anyway, someone took his DNA and spliced it with mine. By doing that, the DNA adapted to my body and I was able to use Mokuton, or the wood element. It's pretty cool as you've seen. I can make life from using my chakra as a base from the energy. To be honest, I don't understand it all myself."

"It's just so cool..."

"I know.

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"**What are you doing to him?"**

**I am modifying his body. He needs this ability as soon as possible.**

"**What for? If I can't beat this group in the future, what makes you think this pathetic excuse for a human can?"**

**Because, this boy can't be controlled so easily like you can. He is the main part in my plan. If I don't allow him to do this, then giving both Kinpaku and Madara gifts was for nothing. **

"**So basically you're saying you're fucked otherwise. And if you're fucked, then I'm fucked too."**

**Yes, in a less dignified way, why not? But that is not the problem. This boy will do just fine. My modification is almost done. When he awakens tomorrow, he will feel different, but that is it. Now it just depends on how effectively he can use it.**

"**I could open a mental link and mes-talk with him if ya'd like. It's fun to do when he's sleeping. His unconscious mind is so suggestive."**

**Kyuubi. This child is your only hope to escape from destruction and what do you do? You mess with him like a sadistic bastard. May the Shinigami have mercy on your soul.**

"**It can't. The damned Yondaime tried to seal me in him and failed. The Shinigami refused my soul. I was just that powerful. Take that, you mutt."**

**I would really appreciate it if you would stop insulting me. I am helping you, after all. **

"**Shove it down your word-hole. I'm not here to listen to your bitching about how easily your feelings are hurt."**

**No, you're right. You're here because of you're incompetence and massive ego which led you to believe that you would win if you just haphazardly waltzed into the Hachimata's resting place.**

"**I look forward to the day when I taste your blood as it washes down my throat."**

**Now that's just wrong. **

"**Hmmm...dog. I can't wait for my meal."**

**Stop that. There! The modification is complete. It's done.**

"**What's done?"**

**I've been changing something inside of his body. In what the humans call the 'chakra circulatory system.' When someone created that system in them long ago, he crafted many points for usage. I merely changed one. I changed this boy's main 'tenketsu'. It was operating ineffectively compared to its true intention.**

"**You don't mean?"**

**Yes, I made that one point compliant with the Aether Chakra.**

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A/N: Yes, I know that could have been potentially complicated and borderline confusing, but it's necessary to make the story work. I'm sorry for dismissing Kishimoto's ideas like that, but come on. That's like a pre-school explanation compared to this. Honestly? Combining this and this to get this? No. In the words of Naruto Abridged, "Chakra is like Chi, only much lamer. It can only be used through hand gestures and it combines body and soul...or something stupid like that. And then crazy crap happens." Basically, it made about that much sense to me when I first started watching Naruto. So, instead, I made my own version...based on _actual_ energy. If you don't like, sorry. But this is fanfiction for a reason.


	4. Confrontation

A/N: Hey, everyone. Here's another chapter. I still need to update my other two, but for now, I consider an accomplishment that I'm able to upload this. I've been busy recently, but at least I was able to find the time to get this done. Thanks to all who reviewed and added this to their alert list. Read, review, enjoy.

**Tanukineiri no jutsu **– Spell of Fake Sleep – Places user or target under a self induced sleep. 

**Confrontation**

Yamato awoke with a start. Being an ANBU operative, Yamato had spent many nights sleeping lightly, training himself to wake up at the slightest disruption. The quietest sound, the softest movement, anything. Ninjas were often required to sleep in the open, sometimes on a roadside, or deep into the forest. In any situation, a shinobi must be prepared. And to fulfill that requirement, it was mandatory that one be able to sense things in one's sleep. By doing this, one must heighten every one of the five senses, six counting the ability to sense one's chakra signature. Any one of these senses could be the thing that saves someone's life in hostile territory. But for Yamato, a man who had been asleep in his own handmade house, it was disturbing that he be waken by a foreign chakra in the air. The only ones in the house were he and Naruto. But even including the Kyuubi, the chakra didn't match any one of them. It was strong, yet soft. Frightening, yet not demanding. In a way, it was one of the most intimidating and calming forces Yamato had ever felt. All he knew was that it was powerful, and that in itself was suspicious. 

Slowly, he crept out of bed. He made sure to grab an additional kunai to add to his free hand, the other holding one from under his pillow. He stepped out of his bedroom, walking silently down the hallway. He surveyed the downstairs. The air was heavy. It was filled with the odd chakra. Naruto's door frame glowed in the darkness, the only other light coming from the barred windows. The floor carried a pale white light, also bouncing a ghostly light onto the walls and ceiling. 

Yamato stepped closer to Naruto's room. He peered into the pallid area, casting a glance at both sides before resting his eyes upon the blonde's sleeping form. He gripped his kunai tighter, his knuckles becoming white like the interior of his charge's room. Naruto inhaled deeply. His chest glowed more, as his torso rose and fell to match his breathing. The white light reflected from Yamato's eyes as he stared on in awe. Around Naruto, chakra gathered. His body was surrounded by a surreal aura of light. 

Naruto suddenly rose his head, his eyes still closed. He began shouting muted screams into the darkness. His body convulsed slightly on the bed. The grip on the pair of kunai became stronger. Yamato's breath caught in his throat at the sight. Naruto slammed his head back on his pillow and fell back into a restful sleep after thirty full seconds of the strange action. The glow stopped abruptly and the odd chakra began to dissipate. Yamato released a breath he hadn't realized he had been keeping. His hands loosened their hold on his weapons as he stepped into Naruto's room. 

"What the fuck was that?" he muttered to himself. He looked over the boy. His mostly white shirt was brown a little over his heart, as if exposed to extreme heat. His eyes were twitching. Again, Yamato couldn't guess if he was having a weird dream or if he was in pain. His breath was even, his heartbeat stable, and his chakra signature normal, for the most part. It felt like it had been before, relatively strong and dense for a boy his age, but nothing too abnormal. There was a faint hint of Kyuubi's chakra mixed in with it, but Yamato had sensed that from the beginning. But now, it felt more...raw. It was as if it was strengthened or something. Yamato had no real way of explaining it, but he knew he would have to. 

Yamato sat down in one of the chairs and stared at the boy peacefully sleeping. "Naruto, you are one hell of a child."

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"**You idiot! After all that! Look at it! You can sense it too, right? Don't tell me you can't. I should claw out your eyes this instance. His body is rejecting your damn 'gift' as you kept calling it. Lookie! HE'S GOING TO DIE, YOU FUCKING MUTT! I'M GOING TO DIE! I know this doesn't mean much to you, because you're only a piece of your entire soul, but I...THIS IS MY ENTIRE FUCKING SOUL. I MIGHT DIE HERE, NOW FIX IT BEFORE I FLOOD HIS BODY WITH CHAKRA AND KILL US ALL."**

**Kyuubi, please calm down. I need to concentrate. His body must be rejecting the Aether chakra because he lacks the Rinnegan. And that is a gift of the gods. That means that it'd be impossible to recreate. His body recognizes the power, but his other tenketsu points don't know what to do with it. It's flooding his system and unless I do something, he'll die. Now then, shut up.**

"**DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT TO DO. I SHOULD KILL YOU NOW AND DRAG YOUR BODY WITH ME TO HELL, DAMN YOU."**

**ENOUGH! I don't need this. If his tenketsu points each get enough of this, then he can die! And if that happens, then we are all fucked. Now let me work. **

"**What can you do? Besides make things worse."**

**I can locate the chakra and neutralize it. If I can do that, we may be able to repair what's already been damaged. Damn it, I don't understand! I did exactly what I saw in the vision. None of this should be happening. He should have been able to fully wield the six chakras because this. Now we'll be lucky if he's able to mold anything at all.**

"**Any time would be nice. His heartbeat's becoming more sporadic. I can try to repress it, but not for long. After a while, it'll become too much and my chakra will only increase the damage done."**

**I know, just keep his body stable. I think I figured out a solution.**

"**Hurry. His liver is almost ready to cease functioning and his kidneys aren't far off."**

**Keep at it. I just need to do this... YES! Stop giving him chakra, NOW!**

"**What did you do to further fuck up this weakling?"**

**His body cannot take Aether chakra. We know that now. But it seems as if his entire body was able to circulate it. The chakra was too powerful for it to be contained by his chakra circulatory system. So, I did my best to equalize the power. It seems his body, at first, began rejecting my chakra too, but he was able to accept. My chakra is much less sinister than yours so his body isn't as damaged by it. I'm able to more efficiently heal him. I might have screwed up his chakra circulatory system in the process, but his nervous system may be able to reverse that. In any case, we will know soon.**

"**I still await the day I kill you."**

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Naruto lifted his eyelids. They felt heavy. His body burned with the smallest movement. Yamato coughed to let his presence be known. Naruto jumped a little at the sound. He turned his head and found the man sitting with two kunai on his lap, his arms outstretched. He looked...nervous? No, that wasn't possible. This was Yamato. He never showed much emotion, from what Naruto had seen so far. There was no way he displayed nervousness so easily, right?

"Naruto, how do you feel?"

"Ugh... my body hurts. A lot. What happened? I only did exercises yesterday after you told me about chakra. Only my head was hurting this much when I went to sleep."

"Do you feel anything different?"

"Not really...my chest hurts a lot, though."

"Where?"

Naruto struggled to pick up his hand and point to where the most pain was. His finger rested just above the heart. 

Yamato stood and looked down at the boy. 'That's not good. That's just about where his main tenketsu is. That might explain that glow and the weird chakra, but what about the pain? This doesn't make sense. Dammit, I guess he needs to go visit the Hokage now.' Yamato stepped back from Naruto. "Can you get dressed?"

"I can try, but I doubt it."

"Never mind, then. Look at me," Yamato said while making a handseal. He placed both hands in front of Naruto's face and whispered, "Tanukineiri no jutsu."

Naruto was about to ask him what was going on when he fell back, asleep. "Good, I hope this eases the pain." He picked up Naruto and made a single handseal. He disappeared in a cloud of smoke with Naruto slung over his shoulder.

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"Hokage-sama, I woke up last night because there was another presence in the house I built. It filled the air. I traced it to Naruto's room, but he was unconscious. I don't know what to say about it...it felt...familiar. I think I've felt it before, just not like that. Then, this morning, he woke up in extreme pain. I assumed that Kyuubi was healing him, but whatever it was, it must have done some number on him for him to still be feeling the affects like that. What do you think, Hokage-sama? With that strange chakra and the glowing, I don't know what to think anymore." Yamato sat in front of the Hokage's desk in a comfortable armchair. Naruto was still under the genjutsu he had been placed under and was sleeping on the same couch from several days before. 

"I don't understand. How long did this happen?"

"I only woke up when the concentration of chakra in the air was enough to be noticeable, but there is a good chance his body was suppressing it long beforehand. After I walked in on it, he began shaking violently. He seemed to be in a lot of pain, although he didn't make a sound. Shortly afterwards, though, the light receded back into him and his clothes looks slightly burned. I imagine it had to do with the large amount of chakra being pushed out of him."

"Whatever happened...it can't be good. And you say this didn't feel like Kyuubi's chakra?"

"There was a small amount in his chakra output, but no more that normal. I'm pretty sure it flared up after he began convulsing. But that was it."

"So, somehow, Naruto now has a third chakra? How is this even possible?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hello? Where am I? What's going on here? Hello?" Naruto called out more in the blackness. All around him, he felt a source of power. It was scary. It pushed against him and made him feel small and insecure. He had felt killer intent and normal chakra before, but this...it was surreal. "Hello?" Naruto apprehensively took a step towards the dark power. He was sure the back of this place glowed, but only a little. 

Each time he took a step, water sloshed around him. The smallest sound echoed in this room, creating thunderous responses from the smallest disturbance. As he got closer, his lungs got heavier. It hurt to breathe. The boy was beginning to get exhausted from simply taking a dozen steps. It wasn't natural. The only relief he felt was that his body no longer ached like it had been.

"Hello?" he called again. He could detect a presence in his surroundings. He knew there was something there, but what?

Suddenly, a voice replied. It wasn't scary like the feeling in the air. Instead, it filled it with a slight bit of comfort. Naruto's breaths were less ragged after this. **Come here, child. This way. **

The path Naruto had been on lit up some, allowing him to see down what looked like a passageway. He moved towards the voice. But also towards the source of the bad feeling. More steps, more torrential echoes. At the end of the corridor, it opened up. Inside was a great room. On one side was what looked like the front of a mammoth cage. It was darkened on the inside, but Naruto could make out the seal on the paper. That couldn't be the thing holding it closed, could it? It had to be though, there was nothing else to do so.

"Hello?"

**Here, child.**

The room grew lighter and the bad feeling was further repressed. In the corner, beside the great cage sat a figure. Naruto could only see what look like the face of a dog in the still mostly dark room. "Where is this?" 

There was no reply. Only the deafening sound of Naruto moving through the shin deep water. He was maybe twenty paces in front of the canine-like figure when he stopped.

**Child, what is your name?**

"Na-Naruto..."

**Do you know where you are at?**

"No..."

**We are in your mind. Or, at least a level of your mind.**

"Wha...?"

**Allow me to explain. I am Houkou, the Gobi. And this, **he said while motioning with his tails, **is your mind. **

Instantly, the room lit up fully, showing the large bars of the cage that Houkou stood in front of. Naruto's eyes went wide at the sight of Houkou. He was...huge. At least two-thirds as tall as the back wall. His five tails waved peacefully behind him and his face seemed to beam at the form of Naruto. His long brown fur hung loosely over his body, masking the skin and general shape of his body underneath. 

**As I said, I am Houkou. I bet you have a million and one questions for me, do you not?**

Naruto stood silent, in shock at the giant talking dog before him. There was no way this was happening. "A-am I dreaming?"

**In a way, yes. But, technically, you are under the influence of false sleep. Which, because of your reaction to my chakra last night, has allowed us to meet. So, you are really awake, just on the inside. This is your head, your mind. **

"What are you doing here? Why is there a big-ass dog in my head? And why do you have five tails? That's not right! None of this is right"

**One question at a time, Naruto. Long ago, there was trouble for my kind. We are great beasts of power. We were created by the gods, just like you. We were each given different powers. I was made the Lord of Illusion. Others were made Lords of the elements, such as fire or water. In total, there are nine of us. But, like I said, we were in trouble. I did something to prevent the end of this world. I gave two people power. I offered the two of them a gift and they accepted. One of them was corrupted and eventually used his powers for evil. The other was a great man. I gave the second man the power of life. He was able to make life with his own hands. It was this power that also saved his life. Because of him, you are here today. He created a village with the help of my gift. He could make trees grow and flourish and give his own body's energy to the earth to make it stronger. He was truly a good man.**

**He completed the task I asked of him, but when he died, a bad man came along and experimented with him. He took my gift from him and gave it to someone else. It was a despicable act. The person he gave my gift to was your friend, Tenzou. But you know him as Yamato, isn't that right?**

"Wait, what does Yamato have to do with this?"

**My gift, the abilities I gave those two men, involved me giving them a piece of my soul. When I did that, they were able to grow stronger. But, because someone stole the gift, they stole a piece of my soul. It was trapped inside of that man, Yamato. My soul was weakened over time and stayed latent inside of his mind. But recently, he found you. He used his chakra, enhanced with my gift, on you. When he did that, part of my sealed soul was transferred to you in the form of raw chakra. I was able to reform and help you because of someone. Naruto, I hate to do this, but you need to meet him. **

Houkou moved his head in the direction of the cage's front. Naruto's eyes followed the motion, resting on the piece of paper in the exact center. 

The room flashed red for a brief second and rumbled once or twice. Naruto's eyes went wide again. There, behind the bars of the cage, stood a fox. His coat danced in the light, reflecting crimson onto the water on the ground. He shook his body but settled down a moment later. His face sank to the ground, hovering just above the water. His eyes, wild with red, glared at Naruto, forcing fear into him. Naruto shook at the sight. The fox did not blink. He didn't move. He just sat there, crouched low, and staring at the young boy. Finally, after several agonizingly long moments of silence, he picked himself up and looked towards the slightly shorter five-tailed dog. Behind the massive fox, nine equally red tails moved in unison. 

"**I told you this vessel is weak. He can't even stop shaking in my presence."**

**Silence, Kyuubi. He is but a child. **

"**That is no excuse. When kits are this young, they are braver than this."**

Houkou turned his gaze from Kyuubi and looked back down at the cowering form of Naruto. **Do not fear him, Naruto. He cannot hurt you, unless you let him. He is imprisoned here because he was foolish, and now he must pay for his bad deeds. But, he is also the reason I am here as well. When I was transferred into your body, he used his power to resurrect my soul. **

Naruto stayed silent, fear evident on his features. 

**Kyuubi, introduce yourself. **

"**What did I tell you?"**

**Do it.**

"**I hate you. But you,"** he said while looking at Naruto, **"are weak. I don't know why you were chosen to be my vessel, but you were. I hate you even more for that fact. I am Kyuubi. I attacked your village six years ago. I made a mistake and this man, your father, sealed me inside of you with the Shinigami's help. I have been here since then, in your mind."**

Naruto still stayed quiet, but the fear disappeared from his face. The very mention of his father was enough for him to rid his body of that feeling. He was chosen to be strong and protect everyone. "I...was born on that day. The day that you attacked. My father chose me to protect the village and it's people. I am stronger than you, and no matter what you say, that is how it is."

Kyuubi snarled behind his prison. He hated those who thought themselves above him. **"Watch your tongue, boy. I can put that to the test."**

**Kyuubi! Not now. Now then, Naruto. He is wrong. You are strong. You are able to hold back his influence and that is why your father would be proud. There aren't many men who can hold their sanity very long after being exposed to a demon's powers, but you seem to be one of the select few who can. That is a rare trait in your kind. I have a theory as to how this happened, but that is not important. What is important is what I've done. I am responsible for what happened to you last night. I tried to make your chakra circulatory system adapt to another chakra, but it failed. I'm not sure the damage done since I'm not too familiar with your kind's chakra system. We demons use another system entirely. Speaking of which, Naruto, do you know how to channel chakra?**

"No. I was going to ask Yamato how to do it later, but he just keeps making me do endurance... yeah, I think that's the word... endurance training. I think he wants to see how much stamina I have."

"**About that. I have not altered your body in any way. I have merely supplied your system with additional nutrients to help you grow. That is it. Anything such as strength or the amount of your chakra capacity is all you."**

**I see. Naruto, it seems that you were born to be a protector. You were born to be strong. You were born to be great. It seems that fate has an odd way of doing things, but you are the one who shall protect us.**

"**I do not need this _boy's_ protection. I am infinitely stronger than he is."**

**Not when they are ready. Then, your power, your raw chakra, your abilities, everything you hold will be worthless. It is the curse of our kind. It seems that Naruto here will be our only hope.**

"What're you two talking about? I'm only a little kid. Sure, I'm gonna be strong and badass and Hokage, but that won't be for a while. Why do you need me?"

**All in due time, Naruto. **

"**I'll be damned if he is able to surpass me in terms of power."**

**Kyuubi, this petty attitude of yours is getting annoying. Naruto, I need you to do something when you wake up, okay? **

"Sure, I'll try."

**I need you to try to channel chakra. I want you to concentrate really hard on making energy within you move. If you feel any pain, try to work through it. Your body may not be ready for chakra yet, but I'd like for you to try. If you still have any wounds, Kyuubi and I will heal them. Does that sound all right?**

"I think so... But wait! What do I do when I need to talk to you again?"

**This meeting is because of a genjutsu that your body reacted badly towards. But I think next time, you may be able to contact both of us by meditation.**

"Huh?"

**It's when you relax your mind and allow yourself to be at peace. It is really helpful when you're stressed or confused. I think that by making the connection to the unconscious and subconscious mind, you may be able to talk to us again. **

"Okay... How do I leave?"

**This is your mind. You control everything in here, along with Kyuubi and me. We are all connected. We each feel each other's pain and happiness. When you feel an emotion, we feel it, too. So, when you want to leave, I suppose that either we or you can force yourself out of here. **

"All right then... Just focus on leaving..." Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on waking up. He opened his eyes and saw the large sewer-like room fade from his vision. To both Houkou and Kyuubi, the boy appeared to just blend with the darkness. They two demons sat silent for a moment. 

**He is the one who will help us. He is strong enough to help change the world.**

"**As much as I am loath to admit it, I agree. His soul is strong. He will be interesting to watch grow up. But I'm still stronger than he will ever be."**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto rose up suddenly. He was in a different room from before. He knew the surroundings. They were familiar. Then he noticed both Yamato and Sarutobi look over at him. Sarutobi stood abruptly and traipsed over to the boy. 

"Naruto, how do you feel. Yamato has been telling me all about last night."

"I feel fine...I think. The pain...it's gone. He didn't lie."

"Who didn't lie?"

"Houkou. He said he'd make the pain go away if I promised to do something for him. I still need to do it..."

Yamato joined the two in the conversation. "Who's Houkou?"

"He said...he was the Gobi. He is a big dog with five tails. But he's nice. He told me he tried to make me stronger. I like him."

"Naruto, does this have anything to do with Kyuubi?"

"Yeah! He was there too! He's mean, though. He called me weak. I don't like him much."

Sarutobi looked at the blonde as if he was in the process of growing a second head. 'This kid...is talking about meeting...two bijuu...and he likes one of them. Just what in Kami's name is going on here?' 

Yamato had similar thoughts. "Naruto, what are you talking about?"

"Inside my head...there's these two demons. One's good, the other's mean. Houkou, the good one, told me that he tried to help me last night, but he failed. So, he told me he wanted to channel chakra to test something. Kyuubi...he felt evil. He made me feel bad. But somehow, Houkou was able to make that feeling go away. I don't know how to explain it. I just...felt different. I feel different now. Before, I felt like there was something flowing inside me. But now, that same thing flows, but it feels like it gets stronger."

"It's possible he's speaking of chakra. Although, I don't believe there are any recordings of someone unconsciously molding chakra."

"Hokage-sama. Do you sense that?" Yamato asked suddenly. 

"Yes. Is this the chakra you felt last night?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. This is the one that seemed familiar."

"I see what you mean." Sarutobi went silent for a long time, his eyes focused on nothing in particular. "No," he spoke out loud, "it can't be. This chakra. It's weak...but I'd know it anywhere. Th-this chakra...it feels like..Shodai-sama."

"You mean...?"

Naruto stared at the flabbergasted Hokage. This was the first time that Naruto had ever seen the man shocked like this. Sure, there had been the occasional time he had been able to get him with a prank, but out all those times, he never looked like this. It was unsettling to see such a kind face hold that mixture of confusion and disbelief like that.

"Yamato. I know that because of your past, you carried this small trace of Shodai-sama'a energy in your soul. That must be why you said it felt familiar. I grew up with that man. He taught me so much. And in the course of time, I worked with him on so many occasions. I became so accustomed to that chakra signature. I felt it in you when I rescued you from that lab. I knew that you carried something similar to him. I just never understood what it was. But now...Naruto also has this same essence that Shodai-sama had. What's more, is that his feels stronger. I don't know what to say..."

"Do you mean I have the same chakra as the Shodai? Is that what Houkou did? He said he gave "someone who would create a village" a gift. Is that what he meant? He gave Shodai-sama part of himself or, least a part of his soul?" Naruto asked.

Sarutobi took his seat behind his desk. This was simply too much for an old man. His age was catching up to him. He was just worried about getting past the mountain of paperwork this morning and then this comes up. What do you say when a child starts saying he met up with two of the most powerful beings on he face of the earth? What do you say when that same child begins giving off the same energy that your old sensei did? Just what was expected of him at the moment? He didn't know. He was having enough trouble processing the rest of the conversation.

Naruto was in the midst of giving Yamato an explanation, "And then, he said to just concentrate and I would be able to talk to them."

"Anything else?" Yamato asked after absorbing the information. He seemed to be handling this much better than the aging Kage.

"Um...Houkou said he'd take care of my wounds and stuff. So I guess that my healing ability thingy will be getting stronger if both him and Kyuubi do it. And then...Kyuubi said that he had been monitoring my body and stuff. But he also said that he didn't do anything to my body. He just mentioned something about giving me nutrients. Other than that...I think that's it."

"Interesting... So Houkou, the Gobi, did this to you?"

"I told you already. Houkou said that he was put into me because of you. He said that you held the Shodai's gift, I think. But that gift...it's complicated, but he said it involved sealing his soul in him. So, when someone experimented with his body, they took a part of his soul away and put it into you. So, I think that's how you got your wicked awesome wood ability. Anyways...he said that he was inside you for a long time, then you used a jutsu on me and somehow was able to force himself into me. When he did that, Kyuubi apparently helped him recover and he's been there since. I think that's it." Naruto stared at Yamato. He was growing impatient with this game of twenty questions. Especially when they started asking the same things over and over.

'So that explains why I was given the ability of Shodai-sama. But what's all this now? How is Naruto able to use Houkou's chakra if he doesn't have a seal. The only reason he has faint traces of Kyuubi's is because of Minato-sama's seal. So, wouldn't that mean that the chakra is just running wild in his system? If that's the case, Houkou must be restraining it. But what if he loses control? Then what? Could I control it, should it break lose? Aw damn it! This is all too confusing!'

Sarutobi began to straighten out his thoughts. They were perplexing, to say the least. "Naruto, come here."

The young blonde stood and walked over to Sarutobi's desk. He stayed there patiently, waiting for the older man to speak again. 

"Naruto, you... How should I put this? Chosen? I suppose that works the best... Naruto, you have been chosen. I'm not sure how or why fully, but I do know that this will most likely bring on more difficult changes. I know that this is only adding to the burden that has been placed upon you, but know this: Yamato and I will always be here to help you. And, if what Houkou has said is true, then he and Kyuubi will also stand by your side. Naruto, I'm truly sorry for the pain you have suffered from and the hardship that you have yet to face, but now, remember this, you are not alone anymore." A single tear fell down Sarutobi's cheek as he said this. 

Naruto smiled. His face lit up with a light that could rid any darkness and destroy the feeling of hopelessness. It was a smile that could inspire courage in the weakest and ripple warmth through even the coldest winter night. And from this smile, Sarutobi felt just a little better. He knew he had made several big mistakes in the past concerning this boy. But he knew, that no matter what, to the ones Naruto loved, there was always forgiveness waiting for them. 


End file.
